William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

2013 Vancouver International Wine Festival. After the morning  Blind Tasting Challenge , the kind people at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts called a taxi for me. They bundled me up with a bag and a bottle of Mission Hill wine. Away I went, back to my hotel. I dropped off a few items in my room, put the bottle of wine in the fridge for later and prepared to meet a BC wine friend for lunch. Weeks before the Vancouver International Wine Festival (VIWF), I began engaging with Canadian bloggers and wine tweeters. Specifically, those going to the VIWF, those going to the 2013 Wine Bloggers Conference in Penticton, BC and those tweeting about BC Wine.

Vancouver International Wine Festival. After my walk around Downtown Vancouver and lunch in my hotel room, I prepared for my 5:00 pm interview with John and Brandy Bates of the band, Big John Bates . There was time in my schedule for an afternoon or evening visit; I contacted Brandy Bates the day before our interview. She and John agreed to meet at one of their favorite local pubs, the Wicklow Pub . The Wicklow Pub is a comfortable bar in False Creek. They had good beer on tap, great service and a decent menu. It was a comfortable place to hangout and visit over the next two hours. Big John Bates. Big John Bates – John founded the band Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz in 2000. John is lead singer and lead Gretsch guitar player. He became the first artist to bring burlesque performers on tour. His music career officially began in 1989 with the Heavy Metal Canadian band “Annihilator.” Brandy Bones Bates. Brandy Bones Bates – joined the band in 2009 while ...

Drive + Hotel + Wine Reception + Review: Blasted Church 2010 Cabernet Merlot Monday, 25 February, I rose early for the 360 mile drive to Canada. I had been invited to attend the 35th Vancouver International Wine Festival in the lovely city of Vancouver, British Columbia. I was out the door and driving by 7:15 am. This was not my first visit to Vancouver. My first visit was in 1973, I was eleven years old. We lived in Seattle, so that drive took only two hours. Over the years I've visited Vancouver many more times. Although I've seen the city transformed over four decades, it remains one of my favorite cities in the world. For me, it's up there with London and San Francisco. I was eager to return. The drive was mostly uneventful; I stopped in Ellensburg and Bellingham for gas. A bad snow storm on Snoqualmie Pass made me grateful for purchasing Winter tires in January. The border crossing at Blaine went smooth and took no more than ten minutes in the queue. * Tip 1: ...

Last week I attended the 35th Vancouver International Wine Festival (VIWF) in Vancouver, British Columbia. With 175 participating wineries from 15 countries, I was invited to attend as a representative of my New Zealand wine blog Kiwi Daydreaming . Grant Bellvé, export manager for Tyrrell's Wines in Australia's Hunter Valley. The reveal at the Blind Tasting Challenge. A lovely Syrah. The VIWF is a fundraiser for the “Bard on the Beach” Shakespeare Festival. Bard on the Beach is one of Canada's largest not for profit professional Shakespeare Festival. In addition, many other activities are offered; opera concerts, workshops, lectures and forums. A wonderful venue for locals and tourists. Make your plans now. The 2013 season is June 12 – September 14, 2013. Tickets go on sale starting April 8. Discover California Wine. Each year the VIWF has a theme, this years regional theme was California wine, with a global focus on Chardonnay. California wines were strong...